1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of communication systems, and in particular, to using a portal system to transmit caller information over the Internet to a call agent.
2. Statement of the Problem
Many large businesses and organizations use call centers to handle the high volume of calls that they receive. Call centers are traditionally housed in large facilities that have multiple work stations for call agents. The work stations have a phone and a computer to allow the agents to handle a call. When a call comes in to the call center, call center logic selects an agent to handle the call. The agent either looks up information about the caller using the computer or the information is automatically pushed to the agent""s computer. Examples of caller information are a name and address of the caller, an account number of caller, preferences of the caller, and any previous transactions of the caller. The agent then handles the call using the caller information. Unfortunately, call centers as the one described above are expensive to operate considering the high costs of providing and maintaining the facility. Also, agents must commute to the site of call center which reduces the potential pool of workers available for the call center.
To help alleviate this problem, some companies have created distributed call centers. Distributed call centers allow agents to work from home. A call center office houses call center logic and a list of available agents. From home, an agent calls into the call center office to get on the list of available agents. When a call comes in, the call center logic selects one of the available agents and forwards the call to that agent. The phone at the agent""s home rings and the agent handles the call. One problem with distributed call centers such as this is getting information about the caller to an agent to help the agent handle the call.
Distributed call agents also provide on-line assistance. An agent logs in to the call center office to get on the list of available agents. When an e-mail message comes in, the call center logic selects one of the available agents and forwards the e-mail message to that agent. The agents receives the e-mail message over his/her computer and the agent provides a response to the e-mail message. Once again, a problem with a distributed call center such as this is getting information about the sender of the e-mail message to an agent to help the agent respond to the e-mail message.
Many large businesses and organizations also use portals to allow users to access information. A portal is a user interface that defines a community of interest. A portal may provide a customized presentation to each particular user. One example of a portal is a web site at www.charlesschwab.com.
Typical portals operate as follows. A user logs in to the portal. During the login process, the portal obtains the Internet address of the user. When logged on, the user selects information to view. The portal sometimes customizes the information for that particular user. Once the information is selected, the portal pushes the information over the Internet to the Internet address of the user. Unfortunately, portals have not been effectively adapted to work with a telephone system to transfer information to a call agent.
The invention helps solve the above problems by using a portal system to transmit caller information to a call agent to help the call agent in handling a call. The invention advantageously provides a more cost effective and secure method of providing distributed call centers. The invention also advantageously allows call centers to reach out to a larger pool of workers. The invention also advantageously uses conventional and well known portal systems to transmit the caller information to the call agent.
One embodiment of the invention is a communication system comprised of a caller, a telephone system, a call center system, the Internet, and a call agent system. The call center system is comprised of an information control system and a portal system. The information control system is configured to receive a call agent identifier. The information control system is further configured to format and transfer a message that includes the call agent identifier. The portal system is configured to receive the message. The portal system is further configured to receive caller information for the caller. The caller information may comprise a name and address of the caller, an account number of caller, preferences of the caller, and any previous transactions of the caller. The portal system is further configured to transmit the caller information to the call agent system over the Internet based on the call agent identifier.
In another embodiment of the invention, an information control system, such as the one described above, is comprised of an interface system and a processing system. The interface system is configured to receive a call agent identifier. The interface system is further configured to transfer the call agent identifier to the processing system. The processing system is configured to receive the call agent identifier and to format a message that includes the call agent identifier. The message is formatted to cause a portal system to initiate a session with the call agent system and to transmit caller information over the Internet to the call agent system based on the call agent identifier. The interface system is further configured to transfer the message to the portal system.
Another embodiment of the invention is a communication system comprised of a sender of an e-mail message, a communication network, a service system, the Internet, and a service agent system. The service agent system is configured to respond to an e-mail message from the sender. The service system is comprised of an information control system and a portal system. The information control system is configured to receive a service agent identifier. The information control system is further configured to format and transfer a control message that includes the service agent identifier. The portal system is configured to receive the control message. The portal system is further configured to receive sender information for the sender. The sender information may comprise a name and address of the sender, an account number of sender, preferences of the sender, and any previous transactions of the sender. The portal system is further configured to transmit the sender information to the service agent system over the Internet based on the service agent identifier.
The invention may include further embodiments that are described below.